Testcase

Testcase is the term used when describing a set of actions that is performed in order to ensure a specific functionality is working correctly.

The term is not to be confused with testplan and also note that the correct term is "testcase specification" which is not used here because it could - again - be confused with the "feature specification".

Requirements for a good testcase

A testcase should be explicit.

Explicit means

That the prerequisites are defined as exact as possible, e.g. "Define valid proxy settings so acces to the internet in Tools/Options>OpenOffice.org/Internet"

That every step also lists the exact result e.g. "Click on the File Open button on the Standard toolbar -> The File Open dialog should pop up"

If you follow these rules it becomes very likely that the manual testcase can be transformed into an automated testcase and thus does no longer have to be checked manually by a QA volunteer.

Specifications and testcases

Ideally a feature specification should be written in a way that all suitable testcases can be extracted directly from the specification text.

Writing a testcase - a sample

The best way of writing a testcase is using a bulletlist as a step-by-step description wich lists the action and the expected result of the action. Start with the prerequisites, then describe the single steps. Sample:

Ensure that you start with a fresh profile.
* Open exactly one empty Writer document
* Enter the text "This is a testcase"
* Select the text using the mouse from left to right -> The entire string should be selected
* Apply the attribute "Bold" to the selection by clicking on the icon in the Format toolbar -> The selected text should turn bold instantly
* Save the file by clicking on the FileSave button on the Standard toolbar
* Navigate to the user's workdirectory (/home/testuser/.openoffice.org/user/work)
* Name the file "MyTestFile"
* Ensure that the automatic file extension is enabled (This is the default)
* Click "Save"
* Close the file via window closer -> All instances of the application should be closed
* Open the file via you favorite filemanager -> The office should start and load the requested document
...

You probably got the point by now. Write it for dummies. Braindead dummies. And don't take anything as given.